Pen desk set



June 6, 1950 L. MOHOLY-NAGY PEN DESK SET Filed Dec. 22, 1945 INVENTOR.1/952; 0 Mo/mz v-A/aqy HTTOENEYJ Patented June 6, 1950 PEN DESK SETLaszlo Moholy-Nagy, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Parker Pen Company,Janesville, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 22,1945, Serial No. 636,745

3 Claims.

This invention relates to pen desk sets and it has to do particularlywith desk sets .of that type wherein the pen receptacle is secured to abase by magnetic means and is adjustable angularly and rotatively tosuit the preference of the user.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved set of the foregoingcharacter which is of simple and inexpensive construction and is adaptedto serve its pen supporting and positioning functions: with a big degreeof efficiency.

Another object is to provide a desk set where..- in the pen-receivingreceptacle may be readily and easily detached from its magnetic supportfor storage purposes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a structure which is welladapted to the effectuation of novel and artistically attractive deskset designs, and which isv suited for economic manufacture in volume.

My invention is particularly characterized in that a permanent magnetstructure is mounted in or on the base and is so shaped as 170 present amagnetized hemispherical convex ,surface adapted to be engaged by acomplementally-shaped concave shoe of paramagnetic material attached toone end of the pen-receiving receptacle and adapted to adhere bymagnetic attraction to the aforementioned magnetized convex surface.

Other objects and features of my invention will be evident from thedescription which follows and by reference to the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of desk set embodying myinvention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarfged vertical sectional view of the structure shown inFig. 1.

The assembly illustrated includes a base I, which may be of any suitabledesign and of any appropriate material. Base I has a central opening 2in which is secured a magnet structure 3, serving as a support for a penreceptacle 4. Receptacle 4 is adapted to receive and support a pen 5.

The magnet structure or unit 3 comprises a cup-like casing 6 madepreferably of iron or other paramagnetic material. The casing 6 servesas a part of the magnetic circuit and at the same time as a receptaclein which is mounted a core consisting of a permanent bar magnet I. Themagnet 1 may be made of Alnico or other similar alloy and is held inconcentric relation to casing 6 by an annular spacing member 8 ofdiamagnetic material, as for example, brass. Core or magnet 1 is somagnetized that its upper and lower extremities are of opposite magneticpolarity. Thus, as will be apparent, the upper peripheral extremity ofcasing 6 has a magnetic polarity which is opposite that of the upperextremity of core 7.

The upper surface of the assembly comprising casing 6, core 7 and spacer8 is spherically convexed to produce an upper dome-like formation; andthe upper surface of this assembly is encased within a dome-like sheetmetal cap 9, the top surface of which is of complemental, sphericalconvex form. Cap 9 is preferably quite thin and is, preferably, made ofdiamagnetic material such, for example, as brass. Cap 9 is, preferably,press fitted upon the magnet unit 3 so that all parts of the unit areretained in desired assembled relation. The upper or exposed surface of.cap 9' may be plated with gold or chromium.

The magnet unit 3 may be secured to base I in any desired manner, and Ihave shown an arrangement for this purpose which is con-- venient andeconomical and at the same time permits .of the magnet structure beingquickly detached.

Specifically, I employ a leaf spring l0 which is notched laterally atits mid-point to engage a button 3a which may form an integral part ofcasing ii. The bottom of the base l is recessed or l-indercut at H toprovide an inward, annular shoulder l2 against which the arms orextremities of spring Hi bear. The spring arms are so shaped and theother parts are so relatively con structed that they engage the shoulder12 under slight tension so as to hold the magnet structure 3 upon andattached to the base i with the peripheral edge of cap 9 seated on thetop of the base.

The receptacle 4 is attached to base I by a shoe i3. Shoe i3 is formedof paramagnetic material, preferably iron or steel, and is attached tothe forward or closed end of the pen receptacle by a screw I4. This shoeis spherically concaved on its under surface complementally to thespherical convexity of the top surface of cap 9 on which the shoe rests.Shoe I3 is of such size that the effective magnetic attraction causes itto adhere to the magnet structure 3 sufficiently to counteract thetorque imposed by pen receptacle 4 and pen 5. At the same time theexpanse of shoe i3 compared to that of the surface of cap 9 on which itrides should be small enough to permit a considerable movement in thevertical plane whereby to enable the pen receptacle to be adjustedvertically through a considerable angle. In other words, the parts areso sized that the pen and receptacle may be moved to and held in anydesired angular and rotative position. It will be evident frominspection of the drawing that the pen receptacle together with shoe l3can be revolved in the horizontal plane while the shoe remains incontact with the magnet structure; and it will be further evident thatwith a shoe dimensioned as shown in Fig. 2 the pen receptacle is movablethrough a considerable vertical angle. ceptacle can be adjusted topractically any angle which the user may prefer.

For ornamental purposes, the design of the shoe, as well as the penreceptacle and base, is subject to almost infinite variation and it willbe manifest that the invention affords the industrial designer very widescope in the production of pen desk sets having good eye appeal.

One of the mechanical advantages of a pen desk set constructed inaccordance with my invention is that it entails no parts which areeither delicate or difficult to produce or which can get out of order asa result of wear. Another material advantage lies in the fact that thepen receptacle with the shoe attached can easily be withdrawn from thebase with the pen and put away for safe keeping-the pen receptaclethereby continuing to function as a cap to prevent drying out of thepen.

I claim:

1. A permanent magnet structure adapted to support a desk set penreceptacle having a concave member of paramagnetic material; saidpermanent magnet structure being carried by a base and presenting aspherically convex surface conforming to and of such extent that saidspherically concave surface extends over a portion only thereof formounting said receptacle for sliding movement thereon, said magneticstructure including a cupped memberof paramagnetic material, apermanently magnetized core member disposed in said cupped member andconnected magnetically at one end to the bottom wall of said cuppedmember, a liner of diamagnetic material interposed between said coremember and the side walls of said cupped member, and a cap element ofdiamagnetic material extending over the end faces of said cupped andcore members and secured to said cupped member to retain said coremember and said diamagnetic material in said cupped member, said cuppedmember and said core member providing two pole portions of oppositepolarity terminating with their end faces in close proximity to saidconvex surface and positioned to act magnetically on said paramag- Thus,the pen rea netic material when said receptacle is in position on saidbase with the concave surface thereof resting on the convex surface ofsaid cap element.

2. A permanent magnet structure adapted to support a desk set penreceptacle having a concave shoe element of paramagnetic material; saidpermanent magnet structure being mounted on a base and including twopole portions of opposite polarities terminating in a spherically convexsurface, and a cap element of non-oxidizing diamagnetic materialextending over the ends of said pole portions and providing an exposed,spherical convex surface of greater extent than the concave surface ofsaid shoe element and shaped complementally thereto for supporting saidshoe element for sliding movement on said cap element and in closeproximity to the ends of said pole portions.

3. A permanent magnet structure adapted to support a desk set penreceptacle having a spherically concave element of paramagneticmaterial; said permanent magnet structure being carried by said base andincluding a cupped member of paramagnetic material, a permanentlymagnetized core member disposed concentrically in said cupped member andconnected magnetically at one end to the bottom wall of said cuppedmember, and a liner of diamagnetic material interposed between said coremember and the side walls of said cupped member, and a cap element ofdiamagnetic material extending over the end faces of said core memberand said cupped member and presenting an exposed spherical surfaceformed complementally to the spherical surface of said paramagneticelement but of greater extent whereby said paramagnetic element isslidable over the surface of said cap element to permit rocking androtational adjustment of said receptacle on said base. 7

LASZLO MOHOLY-NAGY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,932,143 Piercy Oct. 24, 19331,945,271 Hanle Jan. 30, 1934 2,269,149 Edgar Jan. 6, 1942 2,297,806Smith Oct. 6, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 126,414Switzerland June 16. 1928

